Gas-fuelled lighter

ABSTRACT

A lighter, which comprises an actuating member for adjusting the fuel valve; an inner adjuster at one end of said actuating member and having a series of serrations on its outer periphery; and an outer adjuster supported on the inner adjuster by an outer casing or bottom plate, said outer adjuster being removably retained in the body of the lighter by a resilient member, so as to be readily removed from and reset into the body of the lighter, when required, thus achieving easy and accurate flame adjustment.

Unlted States Patent 1 3,922,139 Sugawa Nov. 25, 1975 [5 GAS-FUELLEDLIGHTER 3,802,457 4/1974 Wurzburger 251/292 [76] Inventor: TakaakiSugawa, No. 57-14,

wakamiya ychome, Ichikawa, Przr nary ExamznerKenneth W. Sprague ChibaJapan Assistant Exammer,lames C. Yeung [22] Filed: Apr. 22, 1974 [57]ABSTRACT 1 1 PP -I 462,598 A lighter, which comprises an actuatingmember for adjusting the fuel valve; an inner adjuster at one end [30]Forelgn Apphcatlon Prlonty Data of said actuating member and having aseries of serra- Feb. 5, Japan l tion on its uter periphery; and an uteradjuster sup.

ported on the inner adjuster by an outer casing or botl l 431/l30;. 3tom plate, said outer adjuster being removably re- [51] Int. Cl. F23Q2/16 mi d in the body of the lighter by a resilient member, Field OfSearch 431/130. 131. 24 243, so as to be readily removed from and resetinto the 43 U 50, 251/292 body of the lighter, when required, thusachieving easy and accurate flame adjustment. [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 3,533,720 10/1970Ouercia 431/277 3,630,653 12/1971 Wright 431/344 U3. atfim Nov. 25, 1975as no l2 as 20 P1 SIZE OF SCREW THREAD PITCH ELEV wk :4. 6 Egg I20 I50I80 TATIONAL. ANQE OF ACTUATING MEMBER GAS-FUELLED LIGHTER BACKGROUND orTHE INVENTION This invention relates to lighters and particularly togas-fuelled cigarette lighters equipped with a valve ad justingmechanism.

Hitherto, various types of fuel valve adjusting mecha-. nisms for use ingas-fuelled lighters have been proposed. In a conventional fuel valveadjusting mechanism, if it is attempted to provide a mechanism which issimple in construction and low in manufacturingcost, one meets withinferior results in accuracy in fuel and flame adjustment; conversely,if it is attempted toenhance the accuracy in fuel and flame adjustment,the mechanism of necessity requires a complicated construction and isconsequently expensive to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there. isprovided a lighter, which comprises an outer adjuster adapted toregulate the fuel valve in two stages, said outer adjuster beingremovably supported in the body proper of the lighter by a resilientmember. The lighter of the present invention preferably comprises anactuating member for adjusting the fuel valve; an inner adjusterprovided at one end of said actuating member and having a series ofserrations on its outer" periphery; and an outer adjuster removablysupported in the body proper of the lighter by a resilient member, so asto be easily removed from the lighter itself. Thus, fuel and flameadjustment can be achieved with ease and accurately.

The resilient member may be of any suitable resilient material. Typicalmaterials are rubber, certain plastics and metallic or plastic springs.The actuating member, according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, is threaded in fuel-tight condition to a section of the fueltank of the lighter. The inner adjuster is provided on the lower end ofthe actuating member. The outer adjuster is removably and adjustablythreaded on the inner adjuster. The outer adjuster is retained in thefuel tank by an outer casing (or bottom plate). The outer adjuster has aprojection thereon'w hich is caused to rotate through a given anglewithin a recess provided along the circumference of an aperture providedonthe outer casing (or bottom plate).

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a lighter,wherein a coarse adjustment of the fuel valve is effected with ease byre-setting the outer adjuster supported in the body proper of thelighter.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a lighter,wherein the fuel valve is adjusted rapidly and easily to its optimumoperating condition, independently of variations in ambient temperatureor of changes in other external conditions. For a fuller understandingof the nature and objects of the invention, reference is made to thefollowing detailed description thereof, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, longitudinal,cross-sectional view of a lighter of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a variant of the resilient member ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a rear view or inner face of the outer adjuster ofthe lighter shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the lighter shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a graphic example of valve adjustment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 is a fragmentary,longitudinal, cross-sectional view of the body proper of a gas-fuelledlighter, showing the interior construction thereof. Shown at 1 is anactuating member for adjusting the fuel valve '(not shown). Theactuating member 1 is composed of: a male thread member4 on which isthreaded a corresponding female thread member 3-provided on a section ofa fuel tank 2; a recess 6, in which there is fitted an O-ring 5; and aninner adjuster 7 provided in the lower portion of said actuatingmember 1. A cylindrical member 8 projects upwardly from the bottom offuel tank 2, inaconventional and known manner. The cylindrical member 8contains the female thread member 3 in the upper portion thereof, asillustrated. The O- ring 5 is fitted in the recess 6 provided below thefemale thread member 3, so as to provide the necessary fuelseal betweenthe O-ring and the inner wall 9 of cylindrical member 8.

The inner adjuster 7 has its outer periphery provided with a series ofserrations 10.

An annular groove is provided aroundthe' outer periphery of the outeradjuster, in which annular groove there is fitted a resilientmember,.such that the outer adjuster may be removably supported withinthe body of the lighter. The outer and inner adjusters are engaging eachother by means of their respective serrated portions which intermeshwith one another, An increase in the number of serrations will enhancethe accuracy in fuel and flame adjustment.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide alighter which is both low inmanufacturing cost and has improved accuracyin fuel and flame adjustment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lighter, whereina two-stage fuel adjusting mechanism is adopted for enhancing suchaccuracy in fuel adjust ment.

A further object of the present in'vention'is'to provide a lighter,wherein a fine adjustment of the fuel valve is quantitatively learnedwithout trial and error.

,Shown at 11 is an outer adjuster, which is composed of an outer portion12, an annular groove 13 and a cylindrical'portion 14. The outer portion12 is substantially a short cylindrical member and has a diametricallyextending groove 15 provided on the outer bottom face thereof and aprojection 16 provided on the outer periphery of said face. Thecylindrical portion 14 has an inner wall serving as an adjuster 17 andcorresponding to the inner adjuster 7 of the actuating member 1, as bestseen in FIGS. 1 and 3. The adjuster portion 17 is also provided with aseries of serrations which are in meshing relationship with theserrations 10 of inner adjuster 7.

Generally speaking, an increase in the number of serrations results ingreater accuracy in the valve and flame adjustment by the actuatingmember. This is because angle A of each serration (see FIG. 3) becomessmaller with each increase in the number of serrations ,and, hence, thedisplacement of the actuating member I l is diminished proportionallythereto. The displacement of the actuating member 1 is dependent uponthe size of the thread pitch of thread members 3 and 4 as well.

FIG. 5 is a diagram representing graphically the relationship among therotational angle of the actuating member 1, the size of the thread pitchin the members 3 and 4, and the length of the flame.

Table 1 shows the relationship between the number of serrations and thevariation in the flame length per tooth.

lower shect=White 48x11 (No hole) Turning to the drawings, an outercasing is removably provided outside the fuel tank 2. The shape of theouter casing 20, as shown in FIG. 1, is only illustrative of theinvention but not limitative thereto. Asan alternative, the outer casing20 may be a flat bottom plate, as already mentioned hereabove.

The outer casing 20, as best seen in FIG. 4, is provided with anaperture 21 slightly larger in diameter than the outer diameter of theouter portion 12 of the outer adjuster 11.

A resilient member 25, such as rubber, is provided adjacent to theaperture 21 of the outer casing 20 and integral with the body proper ofthe lighter. The outer adjuster l1 and the actuating member 1 arerotated together by means of, for example, a screwdriver or other tool,with member being resiliently urged against the wall of annular groover13 of the outer adjuster 11. Thus, the actuating member 1 is displacedby a given distance, thereby adjusting the fuel valve (not shown).Through the rotation of the outer adjuster 11, the projection 16 iscaused to rotate through a given angle B along the circumferentialrecess 22. Thus, a fine adjustment in the length of the flame isproperly achieved.

If the rotation of the projection 16 through a given angle is not deemedsufficiently effective to adjust the length of the flame to the desiredoptimum condition, the outer adjuster 11 is removed from the body of thelighter (with, for example, the use of pincers) and then re-set in thebody at a different angle with respect to the inner adjuster 10. Theremoval and re-setting of the outer adjuster 11 are effected with ease,since the outer adjuster 11 is resiliently retained in the body properby the resilient member 25. Even if the outer adjuster I1 is reset inthe body of the lighter at a different angle with respect to the inneradjuster 10, the range of displacement of the projection along therecess 22 remains nevertheless unchanged. However, since the actuatingmember 1 has been displaced by a given dis- 4 tance in the precedingoperation when the outer adjuster 11 is re-set in the body of thelighter, the fuel valve will be adjusted to the optimum condition.

EXAMPLE OF FUEL ADJUSTMENT Maximum rotation angle B of the outeradjuster: 120

Screw thread: M3.5 X 0.35

Number of serrations: 2O Displacement of the actuating member in thelongitudinal direction thereof: approximately 0.12mm

Adjustable length of flame:

Maximum (position: High): approx. mm

Minimum (position: Low): Omm

Medium: approx. 30mm Ambient temperature at use: 20- 25C Steam pressureof butane gas: 2.1 kg/cm to 2.5

kg/cm Moltbrain used: upper sheet: Black 4QX It (1 hole) (2 sheets each)lower sheet: White 48X 1t (no hole) If the outer adjuster 11 is re-setin the body of the lighter with an angle of 18 (corresponding to asingle serration displacement with respect to the serrations of theinner adjuster 10) the maximum flame length is adjusted to approximately20mm (for position H).

In FIG. 2 there is shown a modification or variant of the resilientmember shown in FIG. 1. The resilient member is formed of a coiledspring 30, rigidly secured and held by the outer casing 20, with theouter adjuster ll removably fitted in the central opening 32 of thespring 30.

Changes and modifications can be made in the above described apparatuswithout, however, departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention, so that, it is understood that all matter contained in theabove description or shown in the accompanying drawings are to beinterpreted as merely illustrative of the invention and not limitingthereon.

What is claimed is:

1. In a gas-fuelled lighter having a fuel valve actuating member, anouter fuel-adjuster adapted to effect a two-stage fuel adjustment, saidouter adjuster being removably supported in the body of the lighter in afirst position by means of a resilient member and further includingmeans for permitting said outer fuel-adjuster to be axially removed fromand axially reset in the body of the lighter in a different positionwithout changing the position of the fuel actuating member and saidouter fuel-adjuster to thereby provide a range of flame lengths that isdifferent from the range of flame lengths at the first position.

2. A gas-fuelled lighter having a body and a fuel valve including a fuelvalve actuating member therein, said lighter comprising: an outer casingconnected to said body; an actuating member for adjusting said fuelvalve; an inner adjuster positioned at one end of said actuating member;an outer fuel-adjuster supported in said body in a first position bysaid outer casing; and a resilient member for removably supporting saidouter adjuster in one of a purality of second positions in said body, soas to allow ready removal from and resetting in said body of said outerfuel-adjuster to thereby vary the range of flame lengths withoutchanging the position of the fuel valve actuating member and said outerfuel adjuster.

3. A lighter as defined in claim 2, wherein said outer adjuster and saidinner adjuster are each provided with a plurality of serrations, saidserrations being in meshing relationship with each other.

4. A lighter as defined in claim 2, wherein said resilient member isselected from rubber and material equivalent thereto.

5. A lighter as defined in claim 2, wherein said resilient member is acoiled spring.

6. A gas-fuelled lighter including a body having a fuel tank and a fuelvalve therein, said lighter comprising: a fuel valve-adjusting membersealably threaded to said fuel tank; an inner adjuster positioned at oneend of said valve-adjusting member; an outer adjuster removably andadjustably mounted on said inner adjuster in a first angular positionand having a peripherical projection thereon; an outer casing forretaining said outer adjuster within said fuel tank and having anaperture therein; a recess circumferentially of said aperture forreceiving said periplierical projection of said outer adjuster, so as toallow said projection to rotate through a given angle therealong; and aresilient member for re movably supporting said outer adjuster withinsaid body of said lighter in said first position and in any one of aplurality of second that are angularly spaced from said first positionto thereby vary the range of flame lengths without changing the positionof said fuel valveadjusting member and said outer adjuster.

7. A lighter as defined in claim 6, wherein said resilient member isselected from rubber and material equivalent thereto.

8. A lighter as defined in claim 6, wherein said resilient member is acoiled spring.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 13922139 DATED November 25, 1975 |NVENTOR(S) I TAKAAKI SUSIE-TA It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Page 1, the inventor's name shouldv read --TAKAA KI SEGAE-=IA- Signedand Scaled this Arrest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Altesting Officer Commissioner nj'laremsand Trademarks

1. In a gas-fuelled lighter having a fuel valve actuating member, anouter fuel-adjuster adapted to effect a two-stage fuel adjustment, saidouter adjuster being removably supported in the body of the lighter in afirst position by means of a resilient member and further includingmeans for permitting said outer fuel-adjuster to be axially removed fromand axially reset in the body of the lighter in a different positionwithout changing the position of the fuel actuating member and saidouter fueladjuster to thereby provide a range of flame lengths that isdifferent from the range of flame lengths at the first position.
 2. Agas-fuelled lighter having a body and a fuel valve including a fuelvalve actuating member therein, said lighter comprising: an outer casingconnected to said body; an actuating member for adjusting said fuelvalve; an inner adjuster positioned at one end of said actuating member;an outer fuel-adjuster supported in said body in a first position bysaid outer casing; and a resilient member for removably supporting saidouter adjuster in one of a purality of second positions in said body, soas to allow ready removal from and resetting in said body of said outerfuel-adjuster to thereby vary the range of flame lengths withoutchanging the position of the fuel valve actuating member and said outerfuel adjuster.
 3. A lighter as defined in claim 2, wherein said outeradjuster and said inner adjuster are each provided with a plurality ofserrations, said serrations being in meshing relationship with eachother.
 4. A lighter as defined in claim 2, wherein said resilient memberis selected from rubber and material equivalent thereto.
 5. A lighter asdefined in claim 2, wherein said resilient member is a coiled spring. 6.A gas-fuelled lighter including a body having a fuel tank and a fuelvalve therein, said lighter comprising: a fuel valve-adjusting membersealably threaded to said fuel tank; an inner adjuster positioned at oneend of said valve-adjusting member; an outer adjuster removably andadjustably mounted on said inner adjuster in a first angular positionand having a peripherical projection thereon; an outer casing forretaining said outer adjuster within said fuel tank and having anaperture therein; a recess circumferentially of said aperture forreceiving said peripherical projection of said outer adjuster, so as toallow said projection to rotate through a given angle therealong; and aresilient member for removably supporting said outer adjuster withinsaid body of said lighter in said first position and in any one of aplurality of second that are angularly spaced from said first positionto thereby vary the range of flame lengths without changing the positionof said fuel valve-adjusting member and said outer adjuster.
 7. Alighter as defined in claim 6, wherein said resilient member is selectedfrom rubber and material equivalent thereto.
 8. A lighter as defined inclaim 6, wherein said resilient member is a coiled spring.